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mischievous_magpie

Cracked open canes

3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago

I took a walk through the garden this morning to look at the rose canes and saw something I'd never seen before. Poor little Sally Holmes has huge cracks all the way down each cane. And not skinny little cracks, very large ones with the outer layer of cane peeling away. It looks as if the freeze/thaw seriously made the canes explode. Each cane is pitch black and cracked open completely down to the soil, no green at all, except for what looks to be greenish mold growing in some of the deeper fissures. I'm sure it wasn't animals, we had a bad cold snap where it was between 0° and -18° for about 48 straight hours, and I watched this thing turn black right away. This rose got hit harder than any other. What I'm wondering is... Have any of you had that happen to a rose, and did that rose survive that winter? I've never seen cold damage like that, and I'm wondering if it's kicked the bucket.

Comments (15)

  • 3 years ago

    Some of the damage, middle of a cane and bottom of another.



  • 3 years ago

    Wow...that doesn't look good for the rose. I've never had that happen. I hope she survives for you.

    Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b) thanked rosecanadian
  • 3 years ago

    Well, whatever the cause, those are dead canes and will have to be removed.

    Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b) thanked User
  • 3 years ago

    I admit I've never had a cane crack quite like that.

    The dirty little secret about growing marginal modern roses in cold climates is that they very rarely die outright. The usual trick is they rebound less each year, until you are looking at a one-cane wonder that produces a flower or two. But it is still alive.

    That's my first thought. My second thought is that Sally Holmes is one I've lost outright.

    Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b) thanked mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
  • 3 years ago

    Mad_gallica, it's disappointing because this is one of the first roses I bought after putting the local nursery owner through endless questions about which roses will do well here, in our particular climate (we live relatively close to each other) and was assured that Sally Holmes would do well. The first year it had about 2" of surviving cane, this year I ended up with these exploded canes. I was planning on moving it to a different spot in the spring but now I'm wondering if there's even a point. It doesn't seem to truly be meant for this zone, and I'm no zone pusher so I'm pondering just chucking it.

  • 3 years ago

    Yeah, I think I’d chuck too and not buy another Sally. What a bummer!

    Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b) thanked oursteelers 8B PNW
  • 3 years ago

    @oursteelers 8B PNW Yeah I don't think it's meant to be! It's quite tender here and, weirdly, she's own root but has RMV which I read can apparently affect the vigor of plants that are sensitive to cold zone temps. PLUS it's got no fragrance, so 🤷🏽‍♀️ I guess I'll just plant City of York in that spot instead.

  • 3 years ago

    Exactly. :) :)

    Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b) thanked rosecanadian
  • 3 years ago

    Always so dissapointing to lose one but offset by excitement of planting something .

    Magpie, City of York looks beautiful . I hope that it brings you

    many years of smiles


    Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b) thanked Kristine LeGault 8a pnw
  • 3 years ago

    @Kristine LeGault 8a pnw Honestly I have been agonizing so much about where to put my new roses that I'm almost relieved lol. I bought too many for the spaces I had, so this is actually helpful to have the winter make a decision for me. Plus, Sally was in a really good spot so now I've got a prime spot available for City of York. I'm playing with the idea of planting a clematis next to it (although I've not had great luck with them yet, I haven't given up yet).

  • 3 years ago

    I'd like to sound a note of cautious optimism: I had some similar cracking on 'Madame Isaac Pereire' after the winter of 2021-22 (though I should be clear that it wasn't quite as bad as your photos: the canes weren't completely blackened like that). Nevertheless, I had a fairly good flush on the rose last year -- and on the same cane that suffered the cracking. If it doesn't crack all the way to smithereens (like yours did), it can still flower.


    Here's my 'Madame Isaac Pereire' last year:

    https://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=21.391220

    Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b) thanked Ross 5b IA
  • 3 years ago

    Yeah, I had that happen to 1 or 2 of my roses last year because of late freezes. They did not survive. I'm on the edge between zones 6b-7a, but they were in containers. I was bummed - because I only had 3 roses total! - but I moved on and tried again.

    Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b) thanked Steve_M in PA
  • 3 years ago

    Steve - that's maddening...but good for you on your attitude. :) :)

    Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b) thanked rosecanadian
  • 3 years ago

    The snow finally melted completely away from the base yesterday (just in time for me to check it out, since today it's back under 6" of snow lol) and I saw a sliver of green at the base of a cane. So it's alive. Now I have to decide whether to move it or intentionally kill it (ah, the guilt, I've already shoveled 3 living roses this off-season! I'm horrible!)